A.Y. Jackson
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Alexander Young Jackson LL. D. (October 3, 1882April 5, 1974) was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the
Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
. Jackson made a significant contribution to the development of art in Canada, and was instrumental in bringing together the artists of
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
and
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. In addition to his work with the Group of Seven, his long career included serving as a
war artist A war artist is an artist either commissioned by a government or publication, or self-motivated, to document first-hand experience of war in any form of illustrative or depictive record.Imperial War Museum (IWM)header phrase, "war shapes lives" ...
during World War I (1917–19) and teaching at the Banff School of Fine Arts, from 1943 to 1949. In his later years he was
artist-in-residence Artist-in-residence (also Writer-in-residence), or artist residencies, encompass a wide spectrum of artistic programs that involve a collaboration between artists and hosting organisations, institutions, or communities. They are programs that pr ...
at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario.


Early life and training

Jackson was born in Montreal, the son of Eliza Georgina (Young) and Henry Allen Jackson. As a young boy, Jackson worked as an office boy for a
lithograph Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
company, after his father abandoned his family of six children. It was at this company that Jackson began his art training. In the evenings, he took classes at the Art Association of Montreal (1902). In 1905, Jackson worked his way to
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
on a cattle boat, returning by the same means and travelling on to
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. In Chicago, he joined a commercial art firm and took courses at the Chicago Art Institute. He saved his earnings and, by 1907, was able to visit
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
to study
Impressionism Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...
. In France, Jackson decided to become a professional painter, studying at the
Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...
in Paris with J. P. Laurens. Some of his most important artistic development was at the Étaples art colony, which he first visited in 1908 with his New Zealand friend Eric Spencer Macky. Jackson painted his ''Paysage Embrumé'' then and, to his surprise, it was accepted by the Paris Salon. Returning in 1912, he stayed with the Australian Arthur Baker-Clack (1877–1955). From this period date the Impressionist ''Sand dunes at Cucq'' and ''Autumn in Picardy'', in both of which he used brushstrokes of high-keyed colour. ''Autumn in Picardy'' was bought by the
National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...
in 1913.


Professional career

When Jackson returned to Canada, he settled in
Sweetsburg, Quebec Cowansville is a town in south-central Quebec, Canada, located on Lac Davignon north of the United States, U.S. border. It is the seat of Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality, Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality. The popula ...
, where he began painting works such as the Impressionistic ''Edge of the Maple Wood''. He held his first exhibition at the Art Association of Montreal with
Randolph Hewton Randolph Stanley Hewton (June 12, 1888 – March 17, 1960) was a Canadian artist, known for his figurative work and as a colorist. Career He was born in Maple Grove, Quebec, and studied with William Brymner at the Art Association of Mont ...
in 1913. Unable to make ends meet and discouraged by the Canadian art scene, he considered moving to the United States. However, he received a letter from J. E. H. MacDonald which changed his mind. MacDonald inquired about the ''Edge of the Maple Wood'', which he had seen at a Toronto art show, informing Jackson that Toronto artist Lawren Harris wanted to purchase the painting if he still owned it. After the purchase, Jackson struck up a correspondence with the two Toronto artists, often debating on topics related to Canadian art. Jackson soon began visiting Toronto. Dr. James MacCallum convinced Jackson to relocate to Toronto by offering to buy enough of his paintings for one year to guarantee him a living income. He moved into the Studio Building which was financed by Lawren Harris and Dr. James MacCallum. Harris, overseeing construction of the building, was too busy to concentrate on his own artistic endeavours and loaned his own studio space, over the Commerce Bank branch at the northwest corner of Yonge and Bloor streets, to the newly arrived Montrealer, A. Y. Jackson. The spot is now occupied by the 34-storey 2 Bloor West. Jackson was a welcome addition to the Toronto art scene, having traveled in Europe and bringing with him a respected â€“ though as yet not particularly successful â€“ talent. The canvas taking shape while he waited to move into the Studio Building, ''Terre Sauvage'', became one of his most famous. In January 1914 the Studio Building was ready for occupation. Tom Thomson was another of the first residents of the building and shared a studio with Jackson for a year.
Studio Building (Toronto) The Studio Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was the home and working studio of several of the Group of Seven (artists), Group of Seven painters, their predecessors, and their artistic descendants, and is of enormous significance in the histo ...
Like the other Group of Seven painters, Jackson embraced landscape themes and sought to develop a bold style. An avid outdoorsman, Jackson became good friends with Tom Thomson, and the duo often fished and sketched together, beginning with a trip to Algonquin Park in fall 1914. Inspired by Thomson, Jackson and the other painters who would one day be known as the
Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
undertook trips to
Algonquin Park Algonquin Provincial Park is an Ontario provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Addit ...
,
Georgian Bay The Georgian Bay () is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To its northwest is t ...
, Algoma and the North Shore. With the outbreak of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Jackson enlisted in the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...
's 60th battalion in 1915. Soon after he reached the front he was wounded at the Battle of Sanctuary Wood in June 1916 and found himself once more at Étaples in the hospital there. While recovering from his injuries, he came to the attention of
Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics of the first half of the 20th century ...
. He was then transferred to the Canadian War Records branch as an artist. Here, Jackson would create important pictures of events connected with the war. He later worked for the
Canadian War Memorials Canadian war memorials are buildings, monuments, and statues that commemorate the armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Canada, the role of the Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian military in conflicts and Canadian peacekeeping, peacekeep ...
as an official war artist from 1917 to 1919. Jackson produced forty-five artworks for the organization, including the powerful ''A Copse, Evening'' (1918)--a grim depiction of the catastrophic effects of the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
on the Belgian landscape. A large number of his war paintings are in the
Canadian War Museum The Canadian War Museum (CWM) () is a National museums of Canada, national museum on the military history of Canada, country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military hist ...
in Ottawa. On his return from WWI, Jackson again took up residence at the Studio Building. He removed Tom Thomson's easel, made by Thomson's own hand, from his studio and used it for all the subsequent pictures he produced in the Studio Building. Shortly after he returned from wintering on Georgian Bay, he learned that in his absence he had been included in an informal group of Studio Building artists, exhibiting for the first time, called the
Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
. The Beaver Hall Group was formed in Montreal in May 1920 with A. Y. Jackson as president. In his opening speech, Jackson emphasized the right of the artist to paint what they feel "with utter disregard for what has hitherto been considered requisite to the acceptance of the work at the recognized art exhibitions in Canadian centres. "Schools and 'isms' do not trouble us", he maintained, "individual expression is our chief concern". He identified its goals as being those of the Group of Seven, and over the years Jackson maintained the contact between Toronto and Montreal, supporting and stimulating the Montreal artists through regular visits, painting with artists such as Albert H. Robinson and others at various scenic locations, and correspondence. He kept them informed of events in Toronto and arranged for their works to be included in the Group of Seven exhibitions. It is through this kind of contact that he made lifelong friends of Beaver Hall artists Anne Savage, Sarah Robertson and Kathleen Morris. Jackson enjoyed painting landscapes from his native Quebec and did so for many years. Beginning in late February 1921, and for more than two decades, A.Y. Jackson explored the many topographies and villages of the Lower Saint Lawrence. He first visited Baie-Saint-Paul on the north shore in 1923. In his autobiography, he wrote:
at first, in my painting, I was interested in the old farm houses, in the barns and the trees. Later it was snow that captured my attention; the sun and the wind continually changed its colours and texture.
In 1932, Jackson depicted the
Falconbridge Falconbridge may refer to: *Falconbridge Ltd., a Canadian mining company *Falconbridge, Middlesex County, Ontario *Falconbridge, Greater Sudbury, Ontario People with the surname *Lord Falconbridge, an alternative title for barons, viscounts, and e ...
smelter near Sudbury, in his painting ''Smoke Fantasy''. He then began efforts at government lobbying, pleading in a letter to the minister of Lands and Forests William Finlayson to preserve from logging what became Killarney Provincial Park and Trout Lake. The latter was renamed O.S.A. Lake in honour of the
Ontario Society of Artists The Ontario Society of Artists (OSA) was founded in 1872. It is Canada's oldest continuously operating professional art society. When it was founded at the home of John Arthur Fraser, seven artists were present. Besides Fraser himself, Marmaduke ...
which had taken it into trust. Jackson's efforts were rewarded with the naming of a lake after him on his 90th birthday. In 1938, Jackson visited the mine-site of the isolated
Radium Radium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is the sixth element in alkaline earth metal, group 2 of the periodic table, also known as the alkaline earth metals. Pure radium is silvery-white, ...
mine at Port Radium, Northwest Territories, in 1938. Jackson was a friend of prospector Gilbert LaBine, then the mine manager, and flew to the site with him, where he painted '' Radium Mine''. During the Second World War, Jackson became one of the central figures in the development of the Canadian War Art Program in 1943. Working with the
National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...
, he played a pivotal role in organizing the largest public art project in Canadian history: the Sampson-Matthews silkscreen print program in 1942. Jackson left the Studio Building in 1955 with Lawren Harris mourning, in a letter from Vancouver, "Your moving from the Studio Building marks the end of an era, the one era of creative art that has the greatest significance for Canada... You were the real force and inspiration that led all of us into a modern conception that suited this country, and the last to leave the home base of operations."


Group of Seven

In 1919, Jackson and six painter colleagues formed the
Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
. These artists were considered to be bold, because the Canadian northern landscape had previously been considered too rugged and wild to be painted. Like the other members of the
Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
many of his works began as tiny
en plein air ''En plein air'' (; French language, French for 'outdoors'), or plein-air painting, is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The theory of 'En plein ai ...
sketches in oil on hardboard. Although his name is conventionally associated with this group, he would also remain something of a loner throughout his life. In 1925, he taught at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto; this was the only year that he missed his annual spring trip to Quebec. In 1933, Jackson, along with Harris, was a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters. Several members of the Group of Seven became members of this group, including A. J. Casson,
Arthur Lismer Arthur Lismer, LL.D. (27 June 1885 – 23 March 1969) was an English-Canadian painter, member of the Group of Seven and educator. He is known primarily as a landscape painter and for his paintings of ships in dazzle camouflage. Early life ...
and Franklin Carmichael.


Later years

In 1943, Jackson first traveled to the Yukon with
Henry George Glyde Henry George Glyde (June 18, 1906 – March 31, 1998) was an English-born Canadian painter, draftsperson and art educator. Teaching career Born in Luton, England, Glyde attended the Royal College of Art in London, England (1926–1930) was a stu ...
. He returned to the Yukon in 1964, this time with fellow artists Ralph Burton and Maurice Haycock, traveling by plane over the landscape. In 1954 he was one of 18 Canadian artists commissioned by the
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
to paint a
mural A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...
for the interior of one of the new Park cars entering service on the new ''
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
'' transcontinental train. Each the murals depicted a different national or provincial park; Jackson's was Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. In 1953, a major
retrospective A retrospective (from Latin ', "look back"), generally, is a look back at events that took place, or works that were produced, in the past. As a noun, ''retrospective'' has specific meanings in software development, popular culture, and the arts. ...
titled ''A. Y. Jackson: Paintings 1901–1953'' was held at the
Art Gallery of Ontario The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO; ) is an art museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located on Dundas Street, Dundas Street West in the Grange Park (neighbourhood), Grange Park neighbourhood of downtown Toronto, the museum complex takes up of phys ...
and
National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...
of his work. Jackson moved to the Ottawa region in 1955, settling in
Manotick Manotick ( ) is a community in Rideau-Jock Ward in the rural south part of the City of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is a commuter town, suburb of the city, located on the Rideau River, immediately south of the suburbs Barrhaven, Ontario, B ...
. He maintained a studio in downtown Ottawa from 1963 to 1968. He was often accompanied on his peripatetic painting trips by artists such as Albert H. Robinson and
Randolph Hewton Randolph Stanley Hewton (June 12, 1888 – March 17, 1960) was a Canadian artist, known for his figurative work and as a colorist. Career He was born in Maple Grove, Quebec, and studied with William Brymner at the Art Association of Mont ...
. In his later years, on trips to the Ottawa Valley region, the Gatineau Hills, the Lievre River Valley and Ripond he was accompanied by friend, painter and former student Ralph Wallace Burton, and fellow painters Maurice Haycock and Stuart D. Helmsley.
/ref> One such venture almost ended in disaster: " the 1950s, when Ralph and A.Y. were painting on the banks of the Ottawa River at Deux Rivieres, a bullet ricocheted off a rock where Jackson was sitting." In 1958, he published ''A Painter's Country'', an autobiography dedicated to the memory of Group of Seven member J. E. H. MacDonald, who "visualized a Canadian school of painting and devoted his life to the realization of it". In 1964, Jackson submitted his own design during the Great Flag Debate. It was similar in design to the Pearson Pennant. In 1965, Jackson had a serious stroke that put an end to his painting career. He recuperated at the home of friend and painter Ralph Wallace Burton, and later moved to the McMichael Conservation Estate in Kleinburg, Ontario. Jackson died in 1974, over the Easter holiday in a nursing home in Toronto. He is buried on the grounds of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. His niece Naomi Jackson Groves published several books about his life and work including ''Two Jacksons'' (2000), an account of a shared trip through France and Germany in 1936.


Honours

* In 1941, Queen's University, Kingston gave Jackson an LL.D. * In 1946 Jackson was appointed a Companion of the
Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...
. * In 1962, the University of Saskatchewan gave Jackson an LL.D. * In 1967 Jackson was appointed a Companion of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...
. * A. Y. Jackson Secondary School in Toronto was named after Jackson. He attended the opening of the school in 1970. * A. Y. Jackson Secondary School in Ottawa is also named after him and opened in 1976. * In 1970, the Royal Canadian Academy awarded Jackson its medal for lifetime achievement. * The A. Y. Jackson Lookout on Highway 144 in Sudbury overlooks the waterfall depicted in Jackson's 1953 painting ''Spring on the Onaping River''. * The Ottawa River Institute has established an A. Y. Jackson Trail in his honour.


Quotes from A. Y. Jackson

Of Algoma, he wrote:
Sketching here demanded a quick decision in composition, an ignoring or summarizing of much of the detail, a searching‒out of significant form, and a colour analysis that must never err on the side of timidity. One must know the north country intimately to appreciate the great variety of its forms. The impression of monotony that one receives from a train is soon dissipated when one gets into the bush. To fall into a formula for interpreting it is hardly possible.


Paintings

File:A. Y. Jackson - Cathedral at Ypres, Belgium.jpg, ''Cathedral at Ypres, Belgium'', 1917, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario File:A. Y. Jackson -House of Ypres.jpg, ''House of Ypres'', 1917–18,
Canadian War Museum The Canadian War Museum (CWM) () is a National museums of Canada, national museum on the military history of Canada, country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military hist ...
,
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
, Ontario File:A. Y. Jackson - Gas Attack, Lievin.jpeg, ''Gas Attack, Lievin'', 1918, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario File:A.Y. Jackson - Vimy Ridge from Souchez Valley.jpeg, ''Vimy Ridge from Souchez Valley'', 1917, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario File:A.Y. Jackson - The Pimple, Evening (1918).jpeg, ''The Pimple, Evening'', 1918, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario


Legacy

In 2025, ''Jackson's Wars: AY Jackson before the Group of Seven'', an examination of the work of the painter in the decade before the
Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
's formation in 1920, was held at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, co-curated by historian Douglas Hunter and Sarah Milroy.


See more

*
Canadian official war artists Canadian official war artists create an artistic rendering of war through the media of visual, digital installations, film, poetry, choreography, music, etc., by showing its impact as men and women are shown waiting, preparing, fighting, suffering, ...
*
War art Military art is art with a military subject matter, regardless of its style or medium. The battle scene is one of the oldest types of art in developed civilizations, as rulers have always been keen to celebrate their victories and intimidate ...
* The Studio Building, Toronto, the home and working studio of several Group of Seven painters


References


Further reading

* *Brandon, Laura.
War Art in Canada: A Critical History.
' Toronto: Art Canada Institute, 2021. ISBN 978-1-4871-0271-5. *Burant, Jim.
Ottawa Art And Artists: An Illustrated History
'' Toronto: Art Canada Institute, 2022. * * *
GROUP OF SEVEN: A.Y. JACKSON - Rookleys Canadian Art


External links

*
The Canadian Encyclopedia, A.Y. Jackson


* ttp://www.nfb.ca/film/canadian_landscape/ ''Canadian Landscape'' – an online documentary at NFB.cabr>1928 A.Y. Jackson and Frederick Banting
NWT Historical Timeline, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
A. Y. Jackson, Lethbridge College Buchanan Art Collection

A Painter's Country on Amazon.com
at the
National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...

N. D. Young fonds
at the
National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, A.Y. 1882 births 1974 deaths 20th-century Canadian painters Canadian male painters Canadian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Canadian landscape painters Group of Seven (artists) Companions of the Order of Canada Painters from Montreal School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni Académie Julian alumni Anglophone Quebec people Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada) Members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts World War I artists 20th-century Canadian war artists Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society Canadian Impressionist painters Canadian Post-impressionist painters History of art in Canada